diff --git a/moonscript/compile.lua b/moonscript/compile.lua
index e3216e1..d1d303b 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile.lua
+++ b/moonscript/compile.lua
@@ -380,8 +380,8 @@ Block_ = (function()
       return nil
     end,
     ret_stms = function(self, stms, ret)
-      if not ret then
-        ret = default_return
+      if ret == nil then
+        ret = error("missing return handler")
       end
       local last_exp_id = 0
       for i = #stms, 1, -1 do
diff --git a/moonscript/compile.moon b/moonscript/compile.moon
index 0d8f97f..b9c31da 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile.moon
+++ b/moonscript/compile.moon
@@ -258,10 +258,7 @@ class Block_
       @add out if out
     nil
 
-  ret_stms: (stms, ret) =>
-    if not ret
-      ret = default_return
-
+  ret_stms: (stms, ret=error"missing return handler") =>
     -- find last exp for explicit return
     last_exp_id = 0
     for i = #stms, 1, -1
diff --git a/moonscript/compile/format.lua b/moonscript/compile/format.lua
index 100e741..bc7f435 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile/format.lua
+++ b/moonscript/compile/format.lua
@@ -24,30 +24,10 @@ local manual_return = Set({
   "for",
   "while"
 })
-default_return = function(exp)
-  local t = ntype(exp)
-  if t == "chain" and exp[2] == "return" then
-    local items = {
-      "explist"
-    }
-    local _list_0 = exp[3][2]
-    for _index_0 = 1, #_list_0 do
-      local v = _list_0[_index_0]
-      insert(items, v)
-    end
-    return {
-      "return",
-      items
-    }
-  elseif manual_return[t] then
-    return exp
-  else
-    return {
-      "return",
-      exp
-    }
-  end
-end
+cascading = Set({
+  "if",
+  "with"
+})
 moonlib = {
   bind = function(tbl, name)
     return concat({
@@ -61,10 +41,6 @@ moonlib = {
     })
   end
 }
-cascading = Set({
-  "if",
-  "with"
-})
 non_atomic = Set({
   "update"
 })
diff --git a/moonscript/compile/format.moon b/moonscript/compile/format.moon
index 3d3e3d3..3d1264c 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile/format.moon
+++ b/moonscript/compile/format.moon
@@ -16,25 +16,13 @@ user_error = (...) ->
   error {"user-error", ...}
 
 manual_return = Set{"foreach", "for", "while"}
+cascading = Set{ "if", "with" }
 
-default_return = (exp) ->
-  t = ntype exp
-  if t == "chain" and exp[2] == "return" -- return is a first class citizen now
-    -- extract the return
-    items = {"explist"}
-    insert items, v for v in *exp[3][2]
-    {"return", items}
-  elseif manual_return[t]
-    exp
-  else
-    {"return", exp}
-
+-- TODO get RID OF THIAS
 moonlib =
   bind: (tbl, name) ->
     concat {"moon.bind(", tbl, ".", name, ", ", tbl, ")"}
 
-cascading = Set{ "if", "with" }
-
 -- an action that can't be completed in a single line
 non_atomic = Set{ "update" }
 
diff --git a/moonscript/compile/line.lua b/moonscript/compile/line.lua
index 07e9c0f..c0012c5 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile/line.lua
+++ b/moonscript/compile/line.lua
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ do
   ntype = _table_0.ntype
 end
 local concat, insert = table.concat, table.insert
-local constructor_name = "new"
 line_compile = {
   raw = function(self, node)
     local _, text = unpack(node)
diff --git a/moonscript/compile/line.moon b/moonscript/compile/line.moon
index 793dff8..ca952e6 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile/line.moon
+++ b/moonscript/compile/line.moon
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ import concat, insert from table
 
 export line_compile
 
-constructor_name = "new"
-
 line_compile =
   raw: (node) =>
     _, text = unpack node
diff --git a/moonscript/compile/value.moon b/moonscript/compile/value.moon
index 2dcece9..3c37551 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile/value.moon
+++ b/moonscript/compile/value.moon
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ table_append = (name, len, value) ->
   }
 
 value_compile =
+  -- list of values separated by binary operators
   exp: (node) =>
     _comp = (i, value) ->
       if i % 2 == 1 and value == "!="
@@ -28,11 +29,13 @@ value_compile =
     with @line!
       \append_list [_comp i,v for i,v in ipairs node when i > 1], " "
 
+  -- TODO refactor
   update: (node) =>
     _, name = unpack node
     @stm node
     @name name
 
+  -- list of expressions separated by paretheses
   explist: (node) =>
     with @line!
       \append_list [@value v for v in *node[2,]], ", "
@@ -176,6 +179,7 @@ value_compile =
   self_colon: (node) =>
     "self:"..@value node[2]
 
+  -- catch all pure string values
   raw_value: (value) =>
     if value == "..."
       @has_varargs = true